Pro-casino mayor: State shouldn’t hold federal probe against us

Rensselaer Mayor Dan Dwyer on Tuesday said the state Gaming Commission should disregard the federal probe of Och-Ziff Capital Management when evaluating the casino license application for the Och-Ziff Real Estate-financed gambling and hotel project along the Hudson River in Dwyer’s city.

Dwyer was responding to a story in Monday’s Times Union about the Securities & Exchange Commission probe of Och-Ziff’s investments in Africa and whether the company has complied with an anti-bribery law. He said the commission’s siting board should focus on the casino project, not the federal investigation, which has also interested the Department of Justice.

“That has been under investigation for three years now, right?” Dwyer said. “And has the government come up with a conclusion yet? Why should the board even take that under consideration?”

Dwyer likened the federal inquiry to the criminal case against former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, who was twice brought to trial on federal fraud charges. A jury acquitted Bruno earlier this year. “They investigated Joe Bruno. He wound up being proved innocent,” Dwyer said. Dwyer said he spoke to an Och-Ziff representative in the past two weeks since learning of the federal examination of the giant hedge fund’s foreign transactions. Dwyer found out when Bloomberg Businessweek recently published a report about Och-Ziff being involved with others in investing in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe government.

“They feel very strongly there will be no problem,” Dwyer said about Och-Ziff. Och-Ziff Real Estate is funding the proposed casino project that would have the Hard Rock brand.

Dwyer said he is still offering $1 million a year to the City of Albany for 10 years in return for supporting the project. However, he said he will be seeking feedback from Rensselaer Common Council on the revenue-sharing offer tonight.

I think there’s something here about protesting too much.
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Sorry, Dan.
(Legal / criminal) background checks of bidders have been a routine part of the state contracting process for the past decade.
And this casino RFA was certainly no exception.
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Here’s a term for you to look up: “vet”

I agree with Bob Port. Feathers knows that Rensselaer has a good shot but will do anything and everything to discredit anyone involved with the Hard Rock project. I’m sure he’s worried because of this (reported in the TU this weekend) “Some gaming officials not associated with the four competing development teams say the Rensselaer site should indeed be the top-grossing location. Based on the state’s formula for revenue sharing with counties in each casino zone, the difference between Rensselaer getting a license and another of the three Capital Region bidders could be more than a million dollars a year for a county such as Albany”. How does Kathy Sheehan still support EG knowing that Albany can get more revenue if Rensselaer is selected? Makes you wonder where her loyalties lie……

Chances are zero that Rensselaer waterfront will get the casino. No Governor, even Cuomo, will want the Legislators to have dinner at the crap tables. And that is even without the monorail from the Capitol, across the River and into the casino, only to be greeted by Joe Bruno. New York would be the laughing stock of the nation.

How is offering the City of Albany not a bribe, legal or not? When I’ve done work in Rensselaer my clients have been shaken down for a payment in lieu of taxes. The powers that be say they have to be creative to balance the books and I the money did go to the City but I still think it’s wrong. I hope the casino goes elsewhere.

Maybe Och-Ziffs will try to buy a US President that Israel approves of just like the thug Sheldon Adelson tried in 2012.
These guys are immoral thugs preying on people who are too dumb to realize that you can’t ever beat the house!

which town/city is most depresed rensselaer or East Greenbush? My guess is Rensselaer, althought if you ride along rt. 9&20 the bush is a close second.give it to rensselaer and let the anti-casino crowd have their way in East Greenbush

I believe, Dwyers point is that there haven’t been any convictions. It has just been an investigation. Imagine if anyone had their name placed in the media and automatically they are assumed guilty? The same holds true to this situation. Guilt by association is not Guilt by admission or jury. As for that $1 Mil. a year offer to The City of Albany… That is nothing more than a bribe. And as for Albany’s counter offer, it is nothing short of extortion. I say Screw the $1 Mil offer and let Albany fend for themselves. Albany has all the 5 Star Hotels, restaurants, Airport, etc. This is Rensselaer’s time to shine.

My only concern with the location is the location of the Train housing located just north of the proposed location of the casino. Perhaps integrating or relocating it would create a safer and more pleasant atmosphere for the casino. But something tells me. As soon as the Casino is approved in Rensselaer. You will see other hotel chains loot to locate in Rensselaer as well. Why? Convenience. Once the Hard Rock Casino is built. It would only make sense to allow at least one or two other Hotels to build there as well. The Hard Rock Casino/Hotel will only have room for X number of occupants and making it more convenient for more guests to go to the casino would only be a smart investment for the tax base as well as the tax payers. Maybe near the boat launch would be a great location. Offering free transportation to the 2nd Hotel guests would be in order. How’s that for some Master Planning for the City of Rensselaer?

Schoharie County will receive the green light for Howe’s Cavern & Casino. It makes the most sense and is least controversial and Schoharie County has the greatest economic hardship of the counties involved.

And if Feathers IS behind this, it would tell me that he lacks confidence in the merits of the E. G’bush proposal.
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He needs to dirty-up a rival in a competitive situation, hoping to gain some kind of advantage? Public perception doesn’t play a role here.
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The Gaming Commission’s scoring / evaluation process is pretty cut-and-dried. Why not just shut up, and let it run its course?

8000 people just became unemployed in Atlantic City due to the closing of the Showboat and another casino there. You can take a wild guess where those people will be headed when/if a casino opens here. Forget about jobs for locals. Say hello to the people that make New Jersey, New Jersey, including the gambling addicts and transients. Just what upstate NY need to pollute our area. A casino would be better downstate to keep the riff raff where it belongs.
It’s bad enough that this area already has to put up with the racetrack tards and SPAC concert crowds of dubious quality that ruin the area for nearly the entire summer.

Have faith, elmer.
If I tried real hard, I might easily be as skeptical as you.
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But after all is said and done, I’m sure the scoring / evaluation will be available via FOIL — which you can weigh vs. the ultimate award.
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Unless you can show that the evaluation team is made up entirely of Cuomo appointees (vs. career civil servants), I don’t think any points have been assigned to the applicants’ P.C. — “political connectedness.”
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In a dead heat, you bet — political pressure wins.
I wasn’t born yesterday.
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But in the meantime, have faith.

If you live in Rensselaer the traffic will be awful trying to get in and out of the casino Broadway is a mess 3rd street is narrow and good luck when school bus are letting the kids off at the boys club